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Eastern Meadowlark ( Sturnella magna ) Family: Icteridae The Eastern Meadowlark’s bright song is a familiar sound throughout open grasslands of eastern North America. They are commonly seen singing from fence posts, telephone wires, and shrubs. Eastern Meadowlarks can easily be identified by their brilliant yellow chests and dark v-shaped collar. These colors are slightly duller in the winter yet still distinguishable. They have heavy brown and black streaking on their backs, a long, sharp bill and, a white mustache. Aside from differences in song, this mustache coloration helps to differentiate the Eastern species from the similar Western Meadowlark species, as they have a yellow mustache. Eastern Meadowlarks forage for food by walking on the ground through grass while probing for an assortment of insects including grubs, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and crickets. They also feed on seeds during the winter and spring months if insects are more scarce. When it is time to breed, female